A Christchurch mother has vowed never to buy packaged baby food again, after finding a bug in her child's lunch.

Danielle Rickerby was preparing Only Organic baby food for her 11-month-old child, only to discover what she thought was a live maggot.

"I don't know if it was a maggot, or what kind of bug it was - but it was white, and definitely alive," she says.

Ms Rickerby rang the company and was told finding a live bug in the package was "impossible."

"I don't even understand how this sort of thing could happen - I mean, baby food of all things," Ms Rickerby says.

"There's so many mums out there that when we buy the pouches of baby food, a lot of mums just give open it and give it our kids to suck on and eat."

She has since offered the company who made the baby food a photo and video of the critter - but hasn't had a response back yet.